1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to communications and, in particular, to deployable communication nodes for wireless communications.
2. Background
Personnel may be deployed or moved into new geographic areas to perform a mission. The mission may include, for example, without limitation, a military mission, a search and rescue mission, a firefighting mission, an exploration mission, and other suitable types of missions.
Communication between personnel is essential to performing a mission. This communication may include using communications systems which aid personnel in sending information about the area, receiving instructions and commands, and/or exchanging other types of information. The personnel may communicate with each other in the field and/or may communicate with other entities in remote locations. Communication between personnel is often performed using wireless communications links in a wireless communications network. These wireless communications links may be, for example, analog radio frequency transmissions using UHF and/or VHF frequencies, cellular transmissions, and WiFi transmissions.
Oftentimes, a wireless communications network is not present or may have been damaged in the area in which the personnel perform a mission. As a result, communications may be established between personnel, vehicles, and/or other entities through mobile devices that establish a network through wireless links. This type of network may be self-configuring and may not have a particular infrastructure. This type of network may take the form of a mobile ad-hoc network. The mobile devices in the mobile ad-hoc network may be carried by personnel or may be located in vehicles.
Further, communications traffic also may be routed by nodes that receive and transmit information. These nodes may be mobile or in fixed locations. These types of nodes may be used to provide greater connectivity for different mobile devices.
For example, mobile devices may use these nodes to form a communications network that may have various types of topologies. For example, the nodes may be part of a mesh topology. These nodes, as well as other nodes, may form a wireless mesh network. A wireless mesh network may be a particular type of wireless ad-hoc network. The wireless mesh network may have a planned configuration for a particular geographic location where the network is to be used.
Currently, the nodes may be located in vehicles or equipment set up in various locations. However, the equipment for currently used nodes is not easily transportable by tactical teams or may not be easily set up in various environments in which the nodes may be needed.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above as well as possibly other issues.